With just over two weeks until the start of the 2024 regular season, most teams have come to a decision on who will be under center for Week 1.
But that decision will have to wait a little longer for those in Pittsburgh.
In the wake of the Steelers’ final preseason game Saturday, a 24-17 loss to the Detroit Lions, head coach Mike Tomlin told reporters that he was not ready to announce a starting quarterback, and that the decision as to whether Russell Wilson or Justin Fields will lead the team will be made “at the end of the work week.”
“We’ve got three days of Steelers versus Steelers work and why not do it then?” Tomlin said of his reasoning for the extended waiting period. “It kind of minimizes the Steelers versus Steelers work when we start making decisions prior to the completion of that. We’ve got ample time to prepare for Atlanta and make whatever decisions or announcements regarding divisional labor or pecking orders and so forth.
“And so, we will do it at the end of the work week.”
Wilson started for the Steelers on Saturday for the second straight week, but unlike his frustrating outing against the Bills, the veteran led the starters on a quick touchdown drive, going 60 yards on five plays to open the game. Wilson was 2 for 2 with 26 passing yards, including a deep completion to George Pickens on third-and-long, and thus ended his day.
“They were able to put together a scoring drive and really just provide an opportunity to get Justin in there sooner,” Tomlin said.
Added Wilson: "Well, I thought our No. 1 objective was to go up and down the field and score, that was the first thing. I was ready to play however long coach wanted me to. Whenever I came up on the sideline, he kind of gave me the ‘hey, you’re done.’"
Fields, who has also had his struggles over the course of the preseason, spent a little more time on the field, starting by taking over after a fumble recovery and leading Pittsburgh 35 yards in six plays for a score. He had two completions and a couple runs on the drive, but took a sack on each of the next two possessions to close out his day, having gone 3-for-4 for 40 yards.
“They both moved the ball. They won possession downs. They were able to put the ball in the end zone,” Tomlin said. “Things that we haven’t done to this point sufficiently enough in the preseason.”
With the preseason complete, Wilson’s final stats stand at 10-for-12 passing for 73 yards in two games played after returning from his calf injury. Fields was 19 for 27 for 199 yards in three outings. Neither had a passing touchdown or an interception.
Now Tomlin and his staff will use this data and everything else they've learned over the course of the summer to decide which direction to take the offense, with a matchup with the Atlanta Falcons on Sept. 8 looming.